Hotel Bardolino

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and breakfast was plentiful. We really enjoyed our stay, especially with the lake only about 100 m away. The hotel itself is quite basic and a bit run-down, the double rooms are very small, and there isn't a fridge in the room.

We'd already been in Italy for over three weeks and were near the end of our trip, so we decided to splurge on a large room with a panoramic lake view at Hotel Bardolino in Bardolino. We pictured ourselves relaxing on the terrace. When we arrived, check-in wasn't until 2 pm, so we left the car, walked down to the lake, had lunch, and came back at two. What a shock: they showed us a small room with just a little window and no real view, and no terrace at all. It wasn't the room we thought we'd paid extra for based on the website. The front desk staff were nice and tried to help, but kept saying this was the room we had booked, even though the hotel's description seemed obviously inaccurate. We were upset. It was the most we'd paid anywhere on the trip, including places that were much nicer. They were full when I asked for a room with a terrace, so couldn't move us. The manager got involved, but only offered a room at one of their other locations, and charged us even more because they call it a three star property. Since we'd driven there, were tired, and didn't want to start looking all over again, we felt we had little choice but to accept. I still think they should have charged the same rate, since they were at fault for advertising the rooms falsely. The staff at the other place were nice too, but it didn't feel like a three star property. The rooms were basic and small, and the pool was actually green. It did have an elevator, a nice view, and good breakfast. Still, it wasn't worth what we paid, especially with the extra charge. We'd stayed at 18 places on this trip, many of them remarkable and immaculate, for far less. We never paid $100.00 Euro elsewhere, yet here we were charged way more. We didn't get what we paid for, and they didn't do the right thing when they had the chance.

Lake Garda is only two minutes away, and we spent time there late into the evening. It felt like a very safe area. The hotel was friendly and helpful, breakfast was excellent, and it was very good value. Don't expect a bike, though. The walk into town is an easy 20 minutes. If you're a light sleeper, ask for a room at the back.

The rooms are simple, clean, and comfortable, so don't let the two star rating put you off. We also appreciated being able to use the nearby pool. It's a friendly hotel in a great location, with helpful staff and a delicious breakfast with plenty of variety.